P Srinivasan I [email protected]
The World Health Organisation has lauded the Rajsathan’s model on tobacco control.
WHO Representative Dr Roderico H. Ofrin applauding the 100-day tobacco free campaign by the Government of Rajasthan of said that “This campaign has the potential to serve as a global template for stakeholder and community engagement. The government’s innovatively designed 100-day campaign has been meticulously planned to synchronize activities across 33 districts, right up to the level of village panchayats, with active involvement of Panchayati Raj institutions and the community, to take tobacco control to the household level.”
The strong anti-tobacco policies adopted by the Government of Rajasthan was visible from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey results, which observed that the number of tobacco users in Rajasthan decreased from 13.5 million in 2009-10 to 12.6 million in 2016-17. The Government of Rajasthan was a recipient of WHO’s World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) award in 2019. Even as per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-21) men who use any kind of tobacco (15 years and above) are 42%, while in NFHS-4 (2015-16) it was 46.9%, thus the tobacco consumption in Rajasthan has reduced by around 8%.
It is to be mentioned that the Government of India too had asked the States/UTs to undertake special drives on the lines of the Government of Rajasthan and follow the ‘Rajasthan Model’ in regard to tobacco control. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in a letter dated May 18, 2022, to all the senior officers of the Health Department across the country has asked to undertake special drives in all the States/UTs for enforcement of provisions of COTPA, 2003, as has been done in the State of Rajasthan. Such drives may be planned to culminate on the WNTD or may be launched on the WNTD
This initiative has set the state on track to achieve yet another commendable initiative by resolving to become tobacco-free.
Rajasthan health minister Parsadi Lal Meena said that coming generations will thank the Government of Rajasthan for this100-day public awareness campaign carried out with other departments to make the state tobacco free. He said such public awareness campaigns should continue till the entire state becomes free from tobacco. He said that incentive will be given if any village, hamlet, ward or colony gets tobacco free.
